Kalispell’s panhandling ordinance quietly went into effect two weeks ago.

No citations have been written yet for violators of the new restrictions, city officials said. But firefighters are looking for some way to reinvent their annual “fill the boot” drive for the Muscular Dystrophy Association now that they also must be mindful about how they ask people for donations.

“It really isn’t going to change our approach a whole lot,” Police Chief Roger Nasset said about enforcement of the panhandling ordinance and people with cardboard signs asking for money at some of Kalispell’s busiest intersections.

“Generally we wait for complaints from citizens or until we see a clear safety issue.”

Nasset has heard from some people who are upset that Kalispell’s ordinance doesn’t have more teeth and from other people who think it goes farther than it does in terms of letting police crack down on panhandling.

He has been emailed photos of panhandlers who continue to appear around the city, including right in front of no-panhandling signs put up at some busy shopping centers.

The ordinance makes panhandling within 20 feet of an intersection, bus stop or automated teller machine a misdemeanor crime punishable by up to $500 in fines and six months in jail.

It also prohibits aggressive panhandling — such as following people and blocking someone’s path or using threatening language — and panhandling on private property without the owner’s permission.

The restrictions fill some gaps not covered by Kalispell’s disorderly conduct law, Nasset said. “It’s helpful, but a lot will rely on complaints from citizens. If there’s a safety issue being created by panhandling or the individual is being aggressive, those are the two things we look for now.”

Tickets and arrests will be a last resort.

Panhandlers won’t be hauled off to jail unless something else escalates a situation to that level. “That is not our intent in this and that would not be a prudent thing to do,” Nasset said.

THE ORDINANCE LEAVES the International Association of Firefighters Local 547 looking for a new way to raise money to help fight muscular dystrophy.

For years, firefighters have tried to “fill the boot” among traffic at the intersection of Meridian Road and West Idaho Street during the Northwest Montana Fair. This year’s drive was canceled when the association was told the activity would fall under prohibitions of Kalispell’s panhandling ordinance.

“We are currently considering options as far as maybe some different format. We haven’t explored all the options yet, but we have started to,” said F. Ray Ruffato, president of the International Association of Firefighters Local 547. “We’ll try to do something this year [in Kalispell], but don’t know what it will be. I know some people in the community look forward to it as a charity they like to support.”

Reporter Tom Lotshaw may be reached at 758-4483 or by email at tlotshaw@dailyinterlake.com.